The 80's decade has witnessed phenomenal growth in the participatory family water recreation facility, i.e., the waterpark, and in water oriented ride attractions in the traditional themed amusement parks. The majority of attractions designed for these facilities are targeted at the teen market. Children/parent water attractions are poorly lacking. The subject invention is aimed at satisfying this children/parent market segment for these larger scale commercial/public recreation facilities.
The amusement field is replete with inventions that utilize water as a passive play feature, however, none to date describe the participatory improvements contemplated by the subject invention, as an examination of some representative references will reveal. Jacober et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,805,898 issued Feb. 21, 1989 discloses a waterslide with a web-like flexible slide and buoyant landing pad that extends into a water-containing pool. The structure and operation of Jacober is limited to improvements to recreational waterslide systems and as such has no relevance to the present invention.
Bracy, U.S. Pat. No. 4,799,665 issued Jan. 24, 1989 discloses a collapsible sandbox and swimming pool playset which includes a swimming pool, sandbox, ladder, chin-up bar and slide. Bracy shares an attribute of the subject invention, i.e., componentization of play elements, however, the scope and scale of Bracy is far removed from the structure envisioned herein. Furthermore, the water feature of Bracy is limited to a small pool. No active participatory water effects or elements outside of the pool are described. Consequently, the structure and operation of Bracy has no relevance to the present invention.
Janszen, U.S. Pat. No. 4,573,679 issued Mar. 4, 1986 discloses a baseball batting device in which a tethered ball is rotated by water propulsion. The structure and operation of Janszen has no relevance to the present invention.
Gaspar, U.S. Pat. No. 4,057,244 Issued Nov. 8, 1977 discloses a child's play seat with a plurality of water or sand amusement devices secured to a backboard attached to the play seat. The structure and operation of Gaspar has no relevance to the present invention.
Larsen, U.S. Pat. No. 3,539,181 issued Nov. 10, 1970 discloses an apparatus that takes the traditional backyard gym (swing) set and connects it to a garden hose with spray heads attached over each gym element. Larsen, although having some attributes of the subject invention is readily distinguished upon the following grounds:
(1) The structure of Larsen is limited to two dimensions and one direction of water motion, specifically a horizontal bar with attached downward directed spray heads. Conversely the structure of the subject invention, a multilevel water appliance, takes advantage of three dimensions with water effects occurring omni-directionally. This three dimensional distinction functions to support participants at various elevations with multi-directional water effects at each elevation and also allows the creation of interior spaces, all of which were not contemplated by Larsen. PA0 (2) The structure and function of Larsen's appliance is described and limited to a gym set with quasi-static spray attachments. The structure and function of the subject invention is described as a fully participatory hydro-dynamic water play structure, e.g., an interactive water play house, water play fire truck, or water play animal. A two dimensional aqua-gym is structurally distinct from the three dimensional interactive water playhouse, lure truck, animal or other physical structure as contemplated by the subject invention. PA0 (3) The play elements for Larsen are limited to standard type gym elements, e.g, swing, seesaw, slide. The subject invention's play elements includes the water appliance superstructure itself, as well as a large variety of water and non-water play elements attached to and integrated with this superstructure, e.g, waterfall roof, fixed and rotating tunnels, tunnel-slides, bridges, decks, crow's nests, water-cannons, geysers, water mirrors, bucket dumps, etc. Larsen type gym elements could be integrated, however, are not required. PA0 (4) Larsen describes his water connection to his structure as "a garden hose connection." The standard garden hose connection (i.e., 1/2" to 5/8" diameter) is capable of spraying 15-20 gallons per minute. The subject invention's water connection is usually 4 to 6 inches in diameter and capable of issuing just under 500 to an average 2,000 gallons per minute with even greater flows dependent upon the size of the desired installation. PA0 (5) Larsen describes his water forming device as a "sprinkler or spray head" with one spray head per gym element. The subject invention's water forming devices includes: external and internal nipple nozzles; cone nozzles; water gun nozzles; geyser nozzles; platform nozzles; fog nozzles, water ball nozzles; laminar flow nozzles; water rake weirs; water curtain weirs; weirs with inclined surfaces; pipe-flows apertures; pool and runnel apertures; bucket apertures; as well as spray heads. PA0 (6) Larsen describes the water effect that issues from his water forming device as a "fine . . . or course . . . spray". The subject invention's water effects include: waterfalls; jets; water dumps; laminar flows; water balls; geysers; bubbles; water curtains; pipe flows; mist; fog; as well as spray. PA0 (7) Larsen attaches the control valve for each spray head to the horizontal bar under which the gym elements are suspended. In the traditional backyard gym (swing) set this horizontal bar is definitely not within reach of the intended children participants and is most often not within reach of an adult supervisor (owner) except by way of a ladder. Furthermore, Larsen does not teach that the valves of his structure are to be participant (children) control led, rather, he teaches that the participants only swing, play in, or run under the sprinkling water (Column 2, Lines 11 through 13). Larsen does teach that the owner of an exiting gym can install hoses, connectors, spray heads, and valves to effect operation of the aqua gym (Column 2 Lines 14 through 16). And it is logical that the owner (adult) would presumably make a one-time adjustment to all valves and spray heads so as to permit the intended children participants to play thereunder. However, a clear distinction must be made between an owner who makes infrequent adjustments to a valve so as to invoke a preferred static water effect under which the participant plays (e.g., swings), and a participant who continually moves a valve to cause a change in water effect that is itself the purpose of intended water play. Larsen does not teach the latter. Accordingly, Larsen omits a critical feature of the subject invention, i.e., the ability for the participant to intentionally change the form and volume of the water that he or she is playing with. The subject invention's entire structure and function is designed to enable participants to engage in water play by manipulating easily accessible valves which in turn change the form and volume of associated water effects. In that Larsen's valves are not within reach of the intended users, it is submitted that Larsen teaches away from participant control. PA0 (8) Larsen does not address the issue of water run-off or recirculation. Unrestricted run-off can be damaging and wasteful. The subject invention contemplates use of a recirculation system to avoid damaging run-off and to promote water conservation. PA0 (1) Wolf does not address a critical feature of the subject invention, i.e., the ability of the intended user to operably control (through assorted valve means) the water that issues from the various water forming devices. Wolf employs a single on/off valve to serve the entire structure and such valve is not positioned or intended to be operated by the riser as an element of participatory play. Furthermore, Wolf does not provide for independent control of a given water effect by an associated valve means. Wolf's structure is hydrodynamically static and remains unchanged during participant use. Conversely, the subject invention uniquely integrates the structure and function of numerous controllable valves with associated flow forming devices to produce a cornucopia of water effects all of which may be operably controlled by the user. By way of example, in the subject invention, pushing a lever causes a geyser to grow 6 feet in height; or hitting a button causes a ball of water to arch through the air; pulling a rope causes a spigot to spout or a bucket to dump its load of water; and turning a wheel causes a waterfall to splash over a participant located on an upper platform. Thus, in the subject invention physical interaction by the user creates a "live" hydrodynamically non-static structure that physically changes in appearance, sound, and texture each time it is used. In that Wolf's structure is hydrodynamically static and unchanged during use, Wolf teaches away from participant interactive control and structural metamorphose as taught by the subject invention. PA0 (2) Wolf limits his water forming devices to one nozzle and two types of apertures. The nozzle is a standard downward directed shower nozzle. The apertures include a series of holes drilled into the pipe frame and a plug with smaller holes drilled therein and reinserted into the pipe frame. The subject invention significantly expands the quality and quantity of water effects originating from the pipe structure, e.g., water falls; jets; water dumps; laminar flows; water balls; geysers; bubbles; water curtains; pipe flows; mist; fog; as well as spray from a shower or drilled hole aperture. PA0 (3) The water effect that issues from Wolfs flow forming devices is limited to a spray in the horizontal or downward direction. Conversely, the subject invention is not limited to horizontal or downward directed sprays of water, rather, water issues in all directions. PA0 (4) Wolf does not contemplate play elements incorporated within his pipe structure. The subject invention's play elements include the water appliance structure itself, as well as all of the elements within and attached to the structure, e.g., waterfall roof, fixed and rotating tunnels, tunnel slides, bridges, decks, water-cannons, geyser pulleys, water mirrors, crows nest, etc. PA0 (5) Wolf does not address the issue of water run-off or recirculation. Unrestricted run-off can be damaging and wasteful. The subject invention contemplates use of a recirculation system to avoid damaging run-off and to promote water conservation. PA0 (1) Endoskeletal (or Endoskeleton) water play structure: refers to that class of water play structures wherein those elements which provide the primary structural support for the structure also carry the water to the various water effects utilized on the structure, e.g., a pipe frame. PA0 (2) Exoskeletal (or Exoskeleton) water play structure: refers to that class of water play structures wherein the materials that provide the primary structural support to the structure do not carry water to the various water effects, rather, water is carded by a non structural conduit, e.g., flexible hose. PA0 (3) Recirculating drain: includes drain systems associated with filters, pool skimmers, pool gutters, overflows, surge tanks, aeration, sanitation, cooling and any other similar water collection and redistribution system.
Wolf, West Germany, Pat. No. 1,031,693, issued Jun. 1, 1958 discloses a polyhedron pipe frame structure with water supplied through the pipe frame to issue from a downward spraying nozzle located on an uppermost pipe and to issue from a multiplicity of holes drilled into the pipe frame. The water supply is turned on or off by a valve located at the base of the unit. The subject invention is readily distinguished from Wolf on the following grounds: